Lack of own aircraft or crew or need bigger aircraft for loads

I recall when I worked for Air UK during one 90 minute period when my oppo was at lunch, all had been quiet when he went to lunch, I sub-chartered in six aircraft from such operators as KLM, Gill Air, Brown Air, South East Air, TALAIR and by the time my oppo returned from lunch we would thereafter joke that the blood vessels were protruding from my head whilst I had a Captain on the Ops desk manning the telephones.

I'd hate to be answering to some of you lot "why the change of aircraft?" or similar, providing that they are shifting the passengers is it really that important what type of aircraft or operator is operating it?

at 200 quid plus for a 20minute flight from Belfast to the rock next month theyll have no need for all those seats an the saab

Quite often on an ACMI contract there is a dictated minimum or maximnum number of hours, i.e. one can't hog a whole aeroplane and crew(s) and only operate them when it suits, and one pays for the minimum number of hours whether one utilises them or not, so I'd imagine that Eastern sare doing what is most economical given the circumstances.

I am guessing the lease on the Darwin S2000 is due to end on 29SEP17 as it is no longer showing as operating any T3 flights after that date.

The AIS J32 looks like it will based at NCL until end of October....

They also seem to have some involvement with the Air Canada Jazz (Operated by Backbone Aviation) CRJ that's around at the moment.


It operated on an EZE call sign from LPL to FAB last week but since then I have not seen it on FR24 etc. Perhaps its down there for maintenance?

The Eastern flights for Winter 2017 onwards are now bookable on flybe's website. These are the original T3 flights to operate as a Franchise, this is in addition to the JV on the Scottish Islands.

Backbone Aviation CRJ, is currently operating from BRS on behalf of BM.

No it's not, Backbone don't currently have any of their own Aircraft. The Aircraft in BRS is operated by ProAir on behalf of Global Reach Aviation along with sister ship D-AGRA. Don't believe everything you read on FR24 as they can't be bothered to update their database.

Anyone know why flights from ABZ-LSI are not available to book on BE’s website for flights from 25MAR18?.

The daily flight to EDI and GLA is showing available to book for S18.

Looks like Eastern are planning to combine there flights to ABZ from HUY and MME. From 6th November flights from HUY will operate via MME in both directions.

I think that had to happen. There just isn't sufficient traffic to sustain HUY-ABZ direct anymore & presumably MME is similar so probably sensible to combine them, at least for winter. I doubt the traffic will ever come back.

Will they sell the HUY MME sector? or will that just be part of the flight that you cannot by tickets for?

Had a look on BE website and that sector cannot be booked.

It definitely won't come back at £482 return for a one-stop service from Humberside via Teesside to Aberdeen. You're now paying more for the inconvenience of a stop. Genius.

Very strange move - looks like an SB20 on the morning and evening and a JS41 on the middle one. Related to shortage of crew?

So guess that means Teeside base closes & Humberside switches to Saab 2000 base

Wonder what they will do with the 2x Jetstream 41s and crews that this frees up?

I would expect them to start selling the Durham Tees Valley - Humberside route if it's going to be scheduled route.

Lots businesses and people from both regions have interest in both regions due to renewable energy and Oil & Gas / chemicals Industries etc. being big in both regions.

I've only seen this so far, seems to be the same report as on the BBC website. The Stornoway Gazette makes no mention of it on their site, but they are carrying a Flybe advert and the same advert full page in their print editions.

Stornoway airport plane incident

Looks like NWI-ABZ is being dropped as well from the end of October. There are currently only southbound flights available to book through BE website.

ABZ-NWI and NWI-ABZ flights were showing on BE’s online timetable until a day or two ago

I was just looking at the flyBe routemap including Eastern flights. At first I got excited about all the potential connections off the Anglesey flight and thought they could really help numbers take off...

... and then I realised that very few of the connections work :-( This is a terrible shame!